Lori VANG

multidisciplinary artist

BIOGRAPHY

Based in Mni Sota Makoce (the homeland of the Dakota and Anishinaabe people), Lori Vang is an artist, storyteller, and community-based creative from the Hmong American community. As a proud member of the Hmong American community and second-generation immigrant, her work explores her own cultural/spiritual identity through her lived experiences. She creates work in digital media, fiber arts, and visual storytelling, including YouTube, Canva, and CapCut, while also using hands-on approaches, such as crochet, cross-stitch, mixed-media artistry, to explore the themes of creativity, joy, vulnerability, faith, and belonging. Art is not only considered a form of expression for Lori, but also through these mediums, she utilizes art as language; it becomes a way to hold truth, challenges people to reflection, and to create connections across differences.

Lori finds a connection with In Progress because of her belief in the power of storytelling. It transforms existing communities and challenges their narratives and ways of thinking. Lori’s background in youth development, facilitation, and community organizing informed how she approaches both art and service. One of the events she lead was a walking tour around the Frogtown neighborhood called the Frogtown Neighborhood Justice Tour, where youth participants learned what community organizations are doing to help the Frogtown neighborhood. Additionally, she has helped organize an event that connected young people with community/social justice leaders to help them become changemakers. Both these experiences illustrate Lori’s commitment to providing spaces for people to feel validated and empowered to share their own story and speak up about their experiences.

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